The present invention relates to a method of assisting a wiring design of a wire-like structure constituted by a plurality of line streak members, its apparatus and its program, particularly to a method, an apparatus and a program of assisting an optimum wiring design of a wire harness wired at a vehicle as a wire-like structure.
Normally, at a vehicle or the like, a plurality of electrical equipments are mounted thereon, and the electrical equipments are connected by a so-to-speak wire harness in which a plurality of electric wires or communication lines are bundled by a bundling member of an insulock or the like or a protective member of a tape or the like as the line streak members. As shown by FIG. 1, a wire harness 1 is attached with connectors 2a, 2b, 2c and 2d respective end portions of which are connected to electrical equipments or the like. Further, various clips 3a, 3b, 3c, 3d are attached to middle portions thereof, further, a branch point 4 is provided thereto. Further, respective branch lines of the wire harness 1 constituting from the respective end portions to the branch point 4 are basically provided with different numbers and kinds of constituent line streak members and therefore, the respective branch lines are provided with various boldnesses, lengths, elasticities, rigidities and the like. Further, in a prior art, a wiring design of such a wire harness is frequently carried out mainly by hunch and experience of a designer.
Recently, shape prediction and path design of such a wire harness is widely conducted by using a computer support system. As a basic technique thereof, a CAD (Computer Aided Design) and a general-purpose analysis software such as CAE (Computer Aided Engineering) are combined and utilized. That is, a detailed shape of wire harness to which boldness, length type and the like are reflected is designed by the CAD, and thereafter the shape prediction is calculated by inputting required data by number into predetermined general-purpose CAE. After evaluating the calculating result, The CAD designs the predicted shape again. Such a cycle is repeated by designers who are skilled in operation of CAD and general-purpose CAE.
A literature cited in the specification will be shown here as follows.
“Matrix finite element method” by B. Nas, Brain Publishing Co., Aug. 10, 1978, p. 7-15
However, the following problem is posed in designing a path by repeatedly using CAD and general purpose CAE as in the prior art. That is, CAD and general purpose CAE are separated in software and therefore, numerical values necessary for general purpose CAE need to input at a number of times. Further, operation of inputting the necessary numerical values is also complicated and enormous time is required for leaning a technique of mastering general purpose CAE. Further, according to general purpose CAE, there also poses a problem that lead time for simulating deformation of a wire harness, that is, a time period required for predicting a shape thereof is much prolonged.